Buckle



(No Model.)

J. F. MOLLOY 8v J. H. GONDON.

BUCKLE.

Patented Nov. 12, 1895.

UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

JAMES F. MOLLOY AND JOHN H. CONDON, OF NF. HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,735, dated November 12, 1895.

A li tion fil d November 19, 1894. Serial No. 529,278. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES F. MOLLOY and JOHN H. CONDON, of New Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Buckles; and we do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a view in front elevation of one form which a buckle constructed in accordance' with our invention may assume; Fig. 2, a reverse view thereof ;-Fig. 3,a detached view,

T in front elevation, of the frame with the tube removed; Fig. 4c, a similar view of the lever; Fig. 5, a view in elevation of the blank from which the clamping-plate is formed.

Our invention relates to an improvement in wire suspender-buckles of that class in which one member of the buckle is constructed with a central depending hook and another with a central depending loop or equivalent device arranged to coact with the hook for retaining the ring of a suspender-en thereon.

The objectof our present invention is to produce ata low cost for manufacture a simple, strong, effective, convenient, and attractive buckle which is composed of few simplyformed and readily-assembled parts.

\Vith these ends in view our invention consists in a buckle having certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

In carrying out our invention we form deep indentations A A in the ends of the wire buckle-frame, so as to produce corresponding aligned horizontal journals a a. As herein shown, the said frame is composed of a single piece of wire bent to form indented ends, as described, an upper side bar A, in the center of which the ends of the wire are abutted, and a lower 'side bar A from which the loop A depends. A sheet-metal tube B receives the abutted ends of the wire forming the side bar A. If desired, the buckle-frame might be formed by dispensing with'the said tube and utilizing the middle portion of the wire to form the upper side bar A, in which event the ends of the wire would terminate in the loop A We do not illustrate this construction because it is well known in this art. The lever of our improved buckle is made, as herein shown, of a single piece of wire bent to form ends C C, having their upper extremities turned inward, a lower side bar C 'and a hook C depending centrally from the said bar. It is not essential, however, that the lever be formed exactly in the manner shown, as its shape may be varied.

With a frame and lever constructed, substantially as described, from wire we employ a clamping-plate D, formed from a single piece of sheet metal and provided at the opposite ends of its upper edge with two aligned tubular bearings D D, which respectively receive the two journals (1, a of the lever, which is thus pivotally connected with the plate. As herein shown, the bearings are made integral with the plate, the blank for which is furnished with fingers, from which the bearings are formed. The lever is rigidly connected with the plate, which, as shown, is thereto provided with two integral fingers D D which are clasped over the ends 0 C of the lever, so as to firmly connect the same with the plate. These fingers are located, as shown, at right angles with the tubular bearings D D, but that arrangement is not necessary. Their integral formation with the clamping-plate is shown in Fig. 5. As herein shown, also, the middle portion of the lower edge of the clamping-plate is serrated and turned forward to form a gripping-edge D which co-operates with the lower side bar A of the frame in gripping the web; but it is not essential that this edge be serrated, for it would grip the webif made straight. F urthermore, a sheet-metal gripping-edge, whether serrated or not, might be added to the lower side bar of the frame to coact with the clamping-plate in gripping the web.

It will be seen from the foregoing that under our invention we make the clamping-plate perform the threefold function of carrying the frame and lever and of co-operating with the latter to grip the web. Our construction is therefore extremely simple both as regards the formation and assemblance of the parts, and the article when completed is not only durable and convenient, but attractive in appearance and may be produced at a very low cost for manufacture.

\Ve would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold ourselves at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a buckle, the combination with a wire frame having an upper and a lower side bar, ends in which are formed corresponding inwardly extending indentations the upper members or bends of which form journals, and a coupling member depending from the lower sidebar; of a clamping-plate located back of the said frame, which is pivotally connected with its upper portion through the upper members or bends of the said indentations, and having its lower edge arranged to co-operate with the lower side-bar of the frame for gripping the web; and a wire lever having a lower sidebar, a coupling member depending centrally therefrom and co-acting with the coupling member of the frame, and ends located in front of the plane of the plate, and rigidly connected with the ends thereof at points below the pivotal connection of the frame therewith, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscril in witnesses.

'JAS. l". MOLLOY.

JOHN ll. (TONDON.

Witnesses:

Ron'r. LYNN, ABRAHAM GOLDFIELD. 

